Flying Horses
by thelaststop
Summary: Percy is on a family vacation after finding his girlfriend cheating on him. He walks the beach everyday until a chance encounter helps lift his spirits, or maybe not.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey all. I don't own any of the characters appearing or mentioned.**

* * *

You could say today started out like any other day did. I woke up to mom telling me breakfast was ready, blue blueberry pancakes (YES!). After eating and thanking mom I took a quick shower. Just like every other day this summer I would head down to the beach.

Normally I would just wander around aimlessly for hours walking in the tide or heading a little further out and swimming along the coast. Martha's Vineyard was always so beautiful this time of year. Plenty of families and couples out and about by or in the water, but I never took any notice of them. Not this year anyway.

I had just gotten out of a pretty serious relationship with my girlfriend of five years, Rachel Dare. We met on this beach when we were twelve and became inseparable best friends for two years before getting together. It became tradition that our families would leave the Hamptons the last week of June and spend the month of July together here. The breakup was not my idea or anything I had wanted to do, but when you find your girlfriend in the arms of your friend at a party you decided to go to at the very last second, well it kind of forces your hand. Speaking of hands, I broke my left hand on Octavians' face that night. Fortunately for me, the pain of breaking my hand was nothing compared to the pain of his broken orbital bone.

After I told my mother what happened, and our trip to the emergency room, she had decided that we would take our summer vacation a week earlier and spend another two weeks at our beach house. Rachel even had the gall to call my mother the week after we left to find out if we were going to leave from her house or ours. Mom, bless her soul, told her we left already, she would not be welcome with our family, and hung up on her. My mother really loves me. The sentiment is definitely reciprocated.

Now that the backstory is out of the way, Paul, my step-father, would try to walk with me when we first came up, but after getting the cold shoulder for a couple days he gave up. I didn't mean to be rude, I like Paul a lot, but honestly I just wanted to be alone. I'm sure other people had tried to talk to me on the shore, but I have just been in a trance.

Today had been different. When I got on the sand I was much more aware of my surroundings. I noticed the flutter of the grass upon the dunes in the light sea breeze. I noticed the seagulls fighting over a jellyfish that washed ashore. I noticed a stone close to my right foot.

Something inside of me made me reach down and collect it. I don't know why, but the stone caught my attention. Holding it in my hand it was the size of a half dollar, slightly heart shaped, had a sheen that was almost polished, and had an eroded swirl pattern on it. It was beautiful to me.

In my hands I heard it an I knew I was on my own. So I held it to the sky, and in my reflection, I knew I was all alone.

I don't know why I thought that. I mean I had my mom, Paul, and a bunch of close friends at home. It just felt right though.

I continued my way down the beach frequently looking at the stone. Often I would be mesmerized by the stone and almost run into people until I actually did.

We collided with a dull thud. My stone slipped out of hand and into the surf. I pulled my hand up to my shoulder which had taken the brunt of the collision.

"I'm so sorry. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going." We both said simultaneously.

"That's weird." We both said again.

"Stop it!" Again!

At that we both laughed and I looked over at the girl sitting next to me in the waves. I saw this girl with the most beautiful hair. I looked like her hair band broke because the hair seemed like it wrapped around her like paintings of Venus. Beautiful, flowing blonde locks. Her head turned to me and I saw her eyes. Oh my god, her eyes. Beautiful orbs of shining grey.

She was the prettiest girl I ever saw.

* * *

"Hi," I meekly squeaked out trying not to get lost in her eyes.

"Hi," she replied and I could tell she was trying to not stare into my sea green eyes either.

"Um, I'm really sorry. I was distracted by this beautiful stone I found and didn't see you coming."

"Oh, it's fine. I was changing the song on my phone and didn't see you either."

I gave her a weak smile that she quickly returned.

"Annabeth." She held out her hand.

"Percy." I shook her hand.

"Pleased to meet you." We both said again.

"We really have to stop doing that."

"It is kind of cute." She giggled as her face turned an attractive shade of pink.

I couldn't help but smile as I felt the blood rush to my face.

"So," she started to diffuse the slowly building tension. "Are we just going to sit here getting hit by the waves or are you going to help a lady up?"

"I like the water. I think I'll stay right here." I playfully replied.

She full on laughed after the next wave hit us. "You got a little something there." She pointed at her head.

I rolled my eyes because I felt the massive clump of seaweed currently nesting in my hair. "Do I have something on my face?" I said acting horrified and pointed to a spot I knew there was no seaweed.

"Nope, I think it fell out of your ears." She was laughing very hard now. "Seaweed brain."

I puffed my chest out and fake pouted. "Well aren't you just so wise."

Gasping for breath she managed to choke out, "At least I don't have half the Atlantic Oceans' seaweed supply resting on my head."

"Hardy har." I tried to look hurt, but it lasted about five seconds before I was rolling with her in the surf laughing my butt off.

Several minutes later we finally calmed down enough that I stood up and offered her my hand. She took it and I hoisted her up. I did not fail to notice the ring on her finger. The giant diamond sucking all of the happiness I just had out of me.

"Well Annabeth," I started dejectedly. "I'm sorry for running into you again, but it was really nice to meet you. Maybe, pardon the pun, we will run into each other again."

Her smiled looked like it faltered a bit at my tone, "I'd like that Percy."

I glanced down and saw the stone as it lay still without a flaw. I picked it up, put it in my pocket, and began to walk away for the beautiful girl I had just met.

I looked back at her after a couple feet to see her leaving gorgeous footsteps in the sand. She was the prettiest girl I ever saw.

* * *

After my run in with Annabeth, I went down to town to ride my favorite merry-go-round. I realize that I am nineteen, but you can't argue with the beautiful simplicity of an old fashioned merry-go-round. I could always get my mind off of everything reaching for those brass rings.

I kept walking to the place where magic horses fly and you seldom see a frown. I needed a pick-me-up after seeing the engagement ring on Annabeth's finger. The way we clicked instantly, I thought maybe I found someone I could get over Rachel with, but honestly I was kidding myself she could not have saw me the same way I saw her.

I felt a strange tingle starting at my knees and extending quickly up my body as I crossed the street to the ride. I shook it off and went to the ticket booth.

I paid the admission and found my favorite horse, a black stallion forever caught rearing. Blackjack I had named him. There were signs everywhere telling the patrons not to steal the rings. Years ago I stole one for Rachel and she stole one for me.

The beautiful brass ring was hung on a nail in my room. It was rather rusty now, but I never had the heart to pull it down yet.

Today I managed to grab the golden ring! Years of trying and I basically got it by accident. I closed my eyes and held my hands out. I closed my left hand instantly when I felt something hit it. When I opened my eyes I was shocked that I was holding the golden ring.

I gave it to the attendant and he place it back into its spot. I earned a free ride, so I got back up onto Blackjack.

I had my eyes closed waiting for the ride to start when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I was startled so much I fell off of Blackjack onto a girl with long, curly blonde hair in a high ponytail.

"So we meet again."

I held out my hand to help her up and she took it. Something was different this time. Something was missing.

I smiled.

* * *

**Well that was rubbish. I wrote this in 45 minutes at 3 am lol. I hope you enjoyed it and it was not a waste of time to you.**

**This was very loosely based on the song "Flying Horses" by Dispatch. You can listen/download to a live version of it over on Noisetrade.**

**I may make this a random one-shot collection, continue the story, or nothing at all. I'm not sure yet. Inspiration to write is a little hard to come by with my lack of imagination.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I have been wanting to continue this for a while. It's nothing special, but I enjoyed writing it.**

**I know nothing about Martha's Vineyard , so imagine my surprise when I look at Google Maps and notice there are no "good" beaches anywhere near Flying Horses location. So, if you know the place, just ignore the actual geography.**

**Once again, I do not own the characters involved.**

* * *

"Harry Potter is dead."

My eyes opened slowly. Ugh! Why was it so bright? Why could I not move my arms and legs? They felt so, heavy.

"Sally! He's waking up!"

Grover? What is my best friend doing here?

"Oh thank God! We didn't think you were going to wake," her voice broke ever so slightly.

I groaned as my mother crushed me with a hug.

Wait, they didn't think I was going to wake up?

"Perce you gave us quite a scare. A coma for 9 days, way to be dramatic buddy."

I could hear Grover trying to lighten the mood, but wait a second… coma? 9 days?

My eyes adjust enough that I can start to make out the room from through my mother's brown hair. Monitors, beeping machines, white divider curtain, TV bolted to the wall playing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2… shit, I was in a hospital.

"What.. what happened?" I barely croak out the question. My mouth is dry and my voice just did not want to cooperate.

My mother, bless her, got me a cup of water to which I drained in a single gulp.

"Honey, you were hit by a car crossing Lake Avenue. Were you going to Flying Horses?"

I got hit by a car? Why couldn't I remember that? Last thing I remember was holding Annabeth's hand on the carousel. Wait, if I got hit by a car. Oh no, where's Annabeth?

My eyes got wide with fear, "Where's Annabeth? She didn't get hit too? I was going to take her to lunch at Lobsterville."

My mom showed me a small smile. I know that smile. She used it disarmingly and it meant I was about to hear something I probably did not want to hear.

"Who is Annabeth?" I hear Grover ask before my mother can open her mouth.

"The girl I was with. Long blonde hair, curly in a ponytail. Piercing grey eyes. Smile that lights up a moonless night. We just rode the carousel."

I looked between Grover and my mom. They were giving each other worried looks. The silence dragged on seemingly forever until my mom spoke.

"Percy, you were alone and walking to Flying Horses. You never got there."

* * *

Over the next 2 days, I learned Grover had been called by mom to come up and cheer me up. He arrived the day I got hit. I felt terrible that he came up here to 'break me out of my funk' and all I ended up doing was lying on a hospital bed unconscious for over a week. Some friend I ended up being. He laughed pretty hard when I told him that.

I did find out from Paul that Annabeth is real. He told me he had seen a girl matching my description a few times when he was watching the beach from the house. Hearing that i let out a too audible breath of relief to which I immediately backpedaled from. I remembered the engagement ring, but also how beautiful she was and how easily we clicked sitting there in the waves. I definitely have a pretty sizable crush on her. I didn't know whether to smile or curl up in a ball. Luckily I go home tonight, so tomorrow morning I'm parking myself by the water and waiting for her.

* * *

"Idiot, she has a fiancé," I mumble to myself, "just go back inside before you embarrass yourself."

Really I don't see how I could anymore than standing on the beach with crutches, my left arm in a sling, and a brace on my right knee. Fortunately the car that hit me wasn't going fast, so my injuries were just a couple sprains, cuts, and bruises. The only reason it seemed so bad was the fact my head hit the asphalt first.

Ut oh. My heart stops. I see what looks to be Annabeth jogging up the beach about a quarter mile from me. Fight or flight reflexes start to kick in.

Flight wins apparently as I hobble as fast as I can towards the beach house.

"Percy? Is that you? Are you alright?" The voice was riddled with shock.

I stop moving and feel my skin get all clammy. The blonde goddess saw me. I honestly did not expect her to remember me.

"Err… Hi," I really didn't know what to say. I'll facepalm myself later.

She swats a stray curl out of her face. The silence between us is getting a little too awkward to handle.

"Percy," Her soft voice tails off, "What happened to you?"

"I played chicken with a car apparently," I shrugged.

"Oh God. So that's why I haven't seen you for a while."

She was looking for me?

"I suppose."

Groan. Get out of here before you truly embarrass yourself.

"Why are you out on the sand with crutches?"

"I was looking for someone."

"Did you find them?"

Ugh. I was hoping she wouldn't ask, but I stupidly told her the truth.

"I don't know," I shrugged again, "I think what I was looking for was just a daydream."

"Why would you say that?" She stepped closer to me.

"Annabeth," I sighed, "Did you ever have a moment in your life where everything comes together perfectly? Like the whole world just stopped for a few minutes and it was only you and that other person," I stopped for a second not believing that I was bearing my soul to her, "Where you perfectly fit with someone else, but then you find that it was all a lie. That what you felt could never happen."

"No," she took another step closer.

I must have let a grimace slip through my mask of calm because she took a half step back and had hurt in her eyes. Why would she be hurt? "No?"

"No," she stepped closer. Now there was no space between us. What was she doing? "Because there was no lie involved. Well that's not entirely true, so I guess I should come clean."

"Come clean?"

"Yes," she was staring into my eyes before her eyes flicker a little lower. The last thing I expected to see was the blonde haired angel Annabeth to place her hand on right forearm, squeeze gently, and raise herself up on her toes to kiss me. After a few seconds the shock wore off, and I was kissing her back. My mind went blank until I remembered the ring and pulled back.

"No, your fiancé," I backpedaled away quickly, "You're engaged."

"Percy," She matched my steps, "I bought that so that guys would not hit on me when I'm running on the beach," she took off the ring and put it in my hand, "I started to come after you that day when I realized why you got weird. I couldn't find you. I've been jogging past here everyday. I almost gave up hope until I saw you today."

"But.. uh," dignified Perseus. Very dignified.

She laughed a hearty, full bodied laugh, "I am not messing with you Percy. I like you and have not been able to get you out of my mind. I know you feel the same, I can see it in your eyes."

I just smiled and leaned down to kiss her.

"Seaweed brain," she mumbles into the kiss and I grin.

* * *

**So there's that. I apologize for the horrible fanfiction cliche of Percy being in a car crash/coma. I couldn't think of a convincing vehicle to explain away the engagement ring.**

**I hope you all enjoyed the read. As of right now I have no plans for a part 3, but who knows.**

_**Stealth Note: I've gotten a couple questions regarding when Percy got hit and why I didn't show it. Thing is, I did. Remember in the first part when he had that tingling when he crossed the street. Yep, that was his mind going into dream mode after being hit. Ya'll probably thought it was throwaway line.**_


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